Brake



April 30, 1929. L. BLACKMORE ET! AL I 1,711,011

BRAKE Filed May 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 8110111110 Z4 Llqyd EIac/rmore 0:

am)? w 57 Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1.1mm summons, or HIGHLAND rm, am) ram) 1 sons, or nm'aon, nearan, ASSIGNOBS TO GENERAL MOTORS coarorwnon, or nm'norr, moment, A

CORPORATION .01. DELAWARE.

BRAKE.

Application fled m :1, 1m. and I0. 040,515.

This invention relates to brakes, especially but not necessarily those intended for use on vehicles such as automobiles, and is illustrated as embodied in aset of such brakes which operate differently when the vehicle is rounding a corner than when the vehicle is run ning straight ahead.

One manner of increasing the effect of brakes for automobiles and other vehicles, to provide for properly controlling these vehicles in spite of the constant increase in weight and speed, is by providing brakes on all four of the wheels. When this is done, however, at least by the use of most of the brakes with which we are familiar, there is greatly increased danger of skidding due to locking the front wheels, which may at times be very dangerous in rounding a corner. This is for the reason that it is impossible to steer the vehicle unless the steering wheels are actually turning, and therefore if these wheels are locked the vehicle may skid straight. ahead instead of rounding the corner, especially if the road be slippery with ice or by reason of a wet pavement.

In order to avoid this danger by making sure that at least one wheel will always be turning in rounding a corner, our invention contemplates the use of brakes on the steering wheels so arranged that one or both will be positively disconnected fromthe brake operating connections in rounding a corner. This is especially advantageous in certain forms of brakes which have been in long and successful use on the driving wheels. but

which would otherwise have to be adjusted to exert a comparatively small retarding force on the front wheels. That is to say, with our invention it is not necessary to ad just the front" wheel brakes to apply less retarding force than the rear wheel brakes, as would otherwise be necessary 0 avoid skidding as far as possible, in ada ting for use on the front wheels most of the types of brakes which are in use for the rear wheels.

One form of brake operating connections which is especially useful on the front wheels of a vehicle in securing the above explained object includes a brake-operating part and a driver-controlled part which are automatically connected and disconnected simultaneously with swivelling movement of the wheel on which the brake acts. y Preferably these parts are provided with cooperating clutch thus'reducing to a minimum the weight of the unsprung parts. This connection includes relatively movable clutch members controlled by swivelling movement of the wheel, as for example by a member carried by the knuckle of the wheel and arranged to be moved by swivelling movement of the knuckle to wedge the clutch members apart to disconnect the brake when rounding a corner. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings this member is in the form of a semicircular slotted cam having a lower portlon which permits the clutch members to engage and a higher portion which wedges them apart and which is arranged to disconnect the brake only when the corresponding wheel is on the outer side of the turn.

In another modification selected for illustration, the driver controlled part is mounted on the axle, and is shown as being a sleeve slidingly receiving a brake operating shaft the other end of which is supported at one side of the swivelling axis of the wheel, so that swivelling movement of the wheel imparts an axial com onent of motion to the shaft. Preferably t ere is a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the shaft and sleeve according to the axial position'of the shaft In the form shown in the drawings this clutch is in the form of a free wheel ball or roller clutch which normally connects the bodiments of the invention shown in the ac-,

companying drawings, in which:

Flgure 1 1s a top plan viewof part of the chassis of an automobile nipped with brakes according to the first mo ificationof thein vention elevation and partly in transverse verticalsection 'Figure 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig-.

ure 2 showing the brake operating connections partly in top plan and partly in horizontal sectio'n Figure 4 is a perspective View of one of the clutch members of the brake operating connections of Figures 1, 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 but showing a second modification of the invention, with some of the parts in rear elevation and others in transverse vertical section;

Figure 6 is a top plan View of the parts shown in Figure 5; i

Figure 7 is a viewcorresponding to Figure 6 but with some pf the parts broken away and with the wheel in the position which it occupies when it is on the outer side of a turn;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 83 of Fig ure 7 showing the free wheel clutch between the driver controlled sleeve and the operating shaft in the position which it occupies when the wheel is on the outer side oi the turn; and v Figure 9 is a view oi the same parts as shown in Figure 8 when they are in their normal positions with the sleeve and shaft clutched together to operate the brake.

In the modification shown in Figures 1 to 4 there is an axle 10 supporting a chassis frame 12 through the medium of springs 14, and to which are swivelled a pair of knuckles '16 on which are rotatably mounted wheels 18, each of which is provided with) a brake drum 20. Each knuckle 16 carries a supporting plate 22, shown as being welded thereto, and which supports a brake device which may be, and which is shown as being, an external band 24 arranged to becontracted and expanded by a device operated by rockingan arm 26 connected by a link 28 to an operating arm 30. The arm 30 is integral with or secured to the forked end of a shaft 32 journaled in a bushing 34 carried by the plate 22, the shaft 32 carrying an outer disk 36 connected to the bushing 34 by a torsion spring 38 which also serves as acompression spring urging the disk 36 toward the left in Figure 2 to hold the shaft 32 yieldingly but firmly in place.

The idle position of shaft 32, when the brakes are released, is determined by a finger turned down from the disk 36 into an arcuate notch in the edge of'the bushing 34. The shaft 32 is connected by a universal joint 40, which is in alinement with the swivelling axis of the knuckle 16, to a sleeve or socket 42 which slidingly receives a shaft 44, the head of which is formed into a ball 46 received in a socket-48 carried by the chassis frame 12.

, According to the present invention the sleeve 42 is formed at its end as one member of a clutch, the other member of which is formed on the end of a sleeve 50 slidably mounted on the shaft 44. The sleeve 50 is constantly urged toward the left in F igurcs 2 and 3 by a coil spring 52 engaging a collar or washer 54 held by the ball end 46 of the shaft 44. An arm 56 integral with or secured to the sleeve 50 is shown as being slotted to receive the end of a link 58 connected in any suitable manner to the brake pedal or to any equivalent driver-controlled device.

In order to control the engagement and disengagement of the clutch members 42 and 50 according to the angular position of the knuckle 16, plate 22 is provided with a pair .of forked lugs 60 connected by horizontal pivots 62 to a semicircular cam member 64 slotted throughout most ct its length to straddle the shaft 44 and having a low or thin portion shown at the bottom in Figure 3 which permits engagement of the clutch members and a high or wedging portion shown at thetop in Figure 3 which is thick enough to wedge the clutch members apart against the resistance of the spring 52. .The horizontal pivots 62 permit the cam member 64 to swing up and down when the brake connections move up and down to follow the relative movement of the chassis frame 12 and the axle 10 due to the springs 14, but force the cam to accompany the knuckle in its swivelling movements due to manipulation of the steering wheel.

Thus in the particular arrangement shown in the drawings, and assuming that the brake pedal has been depressed, the band 24 will be contracted into frictional engagement with the drum 20 as long as the vehicle is moving straight ahead or when it is turning to the left (Figures 2 and 3), that is whep the wheel illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 is the inner wheel. If, however, the steering wheel is manipulated while the pedal is still depressed to turn the vehicle to the right, the cam member 64. which has its center substantially in the swivelling axis of the knuckle 16, will accompany the knuckle in its movement and will wedge the clutch members 42 and 50 apart so that the brake will automatically be released. At this time the wheel shown in Figures 2 and 3 is the outer wheel. By this ILL) arrangement there is never any braking action on the outer wheel on a turn and there'is practically no chance that this wheel will stop turning and allow the vehicle to skid straight ahead instead of safely rounding th turn.

In the particular form of the clutch shown in the drawings .each member 42 and has teeth 66 arranged to seat in corresponding depressions 68 in the other member. As the arm 56 never moves as much as 90, after the clutch members are disengaged they will remain disengaged with the teeth riding on the ends of the teeth of the opposite clutch member, until such time as the brake pedal is released, when the spring 38 and the usual return spring on the pedal will return all the parts to their initial positions withthe teeth 66 seated in thedepressions 68 (unless prevented by the higher portion of the in its nearest end with a pair of arms embracing a universal joint 140, theaxis of. which is normally directly ahead of the brake, a second universal joint.

M The shaft 144 is slidably received in a sleeve 150 held in a bearing formed in the upper end of an arm 149 secured to the axle 10. The sleeve 150 is connected by an arm 156 and a link 158 to the brake pedal or an equivalent driver-controlled device.

In the normal position shown in Figures- 5, 6 and 9, the shaft 144 is clutched to the sleeve 150, in such a manner as to be operated thereby, by means of balls or rollers 166 held in wedge shaped depressions 168 formed in the shaft 144 in such a manner as to constitute a free wheel or Horton clutch. The balls or rollers 166 are wedged outwardly into clutching engagement with the sleeve 150 by their springs 170 in the manner usual with clutches of this type. \Vhen the shaft 144 is moved axially by the swivelling of its wheel on the outer side of a turn, as shown in Figure 7, the balls or rollers 166 are, however, moved into positions where they register with an internal groove 172 formed in the sleeve 150 so that the shaft 144 and the sleeve 150 are disconnected. The outward movement of the balls or rollers in this position, as shown in Figure 8, is limited by stops 174.

In the operation of this modification, mampulatlon of the brake pedal when the wheel is in the position in Figures 5, 6'and 9 will apply the brake by reason of the fact that in this position the'sleeve 150 is clutched to the shaft 144 by the balls or rollers 166. If, however, the steering wheel is manipulated to move the wheel to theposition shown in Figure 7, the balls or 1'0llers166 are moved, by the axial motion ofshaft 144 due to the forward offset position of shaft 132, into registration with the groove 172 to release-the shaft 144 andtherefore to release the brake. If the steering wheel is again manipulated to return the wheel to the position shown in Figures 5,

. 6 and 9 before the brake pedal is released, the

sleeve 150 and the shaft 144 will be clutched to one another la a new position of relative angular ad ustment, so that if the brake pedal is further depressed the two front wheel brakes will operate differently. When the brake pedal is released, however, due to the free wheel construction. all of the parts return to theirinitial position with the shafts 144 again clutched to the sleeves 150 in their original positions of relative angular adjustment.

our intention to limit its scope to these embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a pairof swivelled steering wheels, a brake for each of said wheels, and means operated by swivelling movement of the wheels to disconnect and render one of said brake operatingmeans inoperative upon its brake.

2. A vehicle comprislng, in combination, a

. While two illustrative embodiments of our. invention have been explained above it is notpair ofswivelled steering wheels, a brake for each of said-wheels,- mechanical connections including a clutch for each brake to operate the brakes, and a device associated with each wheel and operated by swivelling movement of the wheel to openthe corresponding clutch to render the brake inoperative.

3. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a pair of mechanical connections for operating the brakes including a clutch associated with each brake, and means for swivelling the wheels to steer the vehicle and for simultaneously disengaging the clutch on the outer side of the turn to render the outer brake inoperative without affecting the inner brake.

4. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a pair of steering wheels, a brake for each wheel, a rock member for operating each' pair of steering wheels, abrake for each wheel, a rock member for erating each brake, and means for disengaging each brake from its rock member when its wheel is on the outer side of the turn without afl'ecting the brake when the wheel is on the inner side of the turn.

' 6. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drum carr1ed by the wheel, retarding means carried by the knuckle in position to cooperate with said drum, a connection for operating said retarding means, and means operated by relative angular movement of the knuckle and axle to disconnect said connection from the retarding means.

7. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a

knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drumearned by the wheel, retarding means carried by the knuckle and cooperating" with said drum, a brake operating member, a clutch connecting said member to the retarding means, and means operated by relative angular movement of the knuckle and axle to disengage the clutch.

8. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a Wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a. drum carried by the wheel, retarding means carried by the knuckle in position to cooperate with said drum, a rock member for operating said means, a substantially coaxial rock member for operating the first rock member, a clutch for connecting the two rock members, and means operated by relative angular movement of the knuckle and axle for disengaging the clutch. V

9. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a

' knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drum carried by the wheel, an expansible and contractable brake device carried bv the knuckle in position to be brought into frictional engagement with the drum, a rock member for expanding and contracting said device, an operating member, a clutch for connecting the rock member and the operating member, and a device operated by relative angular movement of the knuckle and axle for disengaging the clutch.

10. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drum carried by the wheel, a cooperating brake device carried by the knuckle, an operating member for said device carried by the knuckle at one side of its connection to the axle in such a manner that said member has a component of motion parallel to the axle when the knuckle is swivelled on the axle, a second operating member supported against movement with the knuckle, and means for connecting said members when the knuckle is in one angular position with respect to the axle and for disconnecting them when the knuckle is in a second angular position.

' 11. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drum carried by the wheel, a cooperating brake device carried by the knuckle, an operating member for said device carried by the knuckle at one side of its connection to the axle in such a manner that said member has a component of motion parallel to the axle when the knuckle is swivelled on the axle, a second operating member supported against movement with the knuckle, and a clutch operated by said component-of motion parallel to the axle to. connect and disconnect said members.

12. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a knuckle swivelled 0n the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drum carried by the wheel, a cooperating brake device carried by the knuckle, an operating member for said device carried by the knuckle at one side of its connection to the axle in such a manner that said member has a component of motion parallel to the axle when the knuckle is swivelled on the axle, a second operating member supported against movement with the knuckle, and means operated by the component of motion parallel to the axle for connecting and disconnecting the brake oper ating member and the brake device.

13. A vehicle which has a fixed axle, a knuckle swivelled on the axle, and a wheel rotatably mounted on the knuckle, and which comprises, in combination, a drum carried by the wheel, a cooperating brake device carried by the knuckle, an operating rock sleeve carried by the axle, a brake operating shaft slidingly received in the sleeve and supported by the knuckle at one side of the axis of its connection with the axle in such a manner that the shaft has an axial component of motion when the wheel is swiv led'on the vehicle, and means operated by; the sliding of the shaft in the sleeve for connecting and disconnecting the shaft and sleeve.

14. A vehicle comprising, incombination, an axle, aspring supported frame above the axle, a pair of steering wheels swivelled to the axle, a brake associated with each wheel, operating connections for each brake including a universally mounted rock shaft sup ported by said frame, and means for connecting and disconnecting the shaft and the brake according to the angular position of the corresponding wheel.

15. A vehicle comprising, in combination,

' axle, a'pair of knuckles swivelled to the clutch, a second .clutch member an axle, a spring supported frame above the .responding brake device, and a semi-circular axle, a pair of steering wheels swivelled to cammember carried by each knuckle and havthe axle, a brake for each wheel, a universaling a slot arranged to straddle the shaft'be- 1y jointed operating connection for each tween the clutch members, the cam member brake supported by the frame, said connechaving a lowsection which permits engagetion comprising a clutch for connecting and ment of the clutch members and a wed ing disconnecting it and its brake, and means higher section at one side of the shaft w ich operated by swivelling movement of the coris operated by swivelling movement of the responding wheel for engaging and disenknuckle to wedge the clutch members apart. gaging the clutch. 1 20. A vehicle'comprisin in combination,

16. A vehicle comprisin in combination, an axle, a spring supporte frame above the an axle, a spring suppo frame above the axle, a knuckle swivelled on the axle, a wheel. axle, a pair of steering wheels swivelled to having a brake drum rotatably mounted on the axle, a universally jointed 0 rating the knuckle, an expansible and contractableconnection for each brake support by the brake device carried by the knuckle for fricframe, each of said connections including tional engagement with the drum, and conrelatively movable clutch members for con nections for operating said device including I necting and disconnecting the operating con- :1 pair of telescopically connected rock memnection and its brake, and a cam movedhy bers, one of which is supported by the knuckle swivelling movement of the corresponding and has a universal joint in alinement with wheel to wedge each set of clutch members the swivelling axis of the knuckle, and the t, other of which is universally mounted on the 17. A vehicle comprisin in combination, frame, end of the outer one of said meman axle, a spring support frame above the bers being in the form of one member of a slidabl axle, a wheel having a brake drum rotatably mounted on the other of said rock member mounted on each knuckle, abrake device supand arranged to be operated by the driver, ported by each knuckle in cooperatlve relaand an arcuate cam carried by the knuckle tion to the correspondin drum, a umversal- WhlCh has a slot and which is arranged to ly jointed operatinglsha t for each brake destraddle one of the rock members between vice supported by t e frame, a pair of clutch the two clutch members and which has a lower members carried by eachshaft and arranged portion permitting the clutch members to ento connect and disconnect the shaft and the gage and a higher portion wedging them corresponding brake device, and a cam PM" apart, and a springurging'the clutch memried by each knuckle and operated by swlvelbers into engagement with one another. ling movement thereof to wedge the clutch 21. A vehicle comprising, in combination, members apart. a road wheel, a brake effective to retard mo: 18. A vehicle comprising, in comb nation, tion of the wheel, driver-controlled means for an axle, a spring supported frame above the applying the brake, and driver-controlled axle, a pair of knuckles swivelled to the axle, means for steering the vehicle and connecta wheel having a brake drum rotatably g and disconnecting the brake and its apmounted on each knuckle, a brake device supplying means. ported by each knuckle in cooperat ve relation to the corresponding drum, a universally a road wheel, a brake for said wheel, connecjointed operating shaft for each brake devlce trons for appl ing the brake, clutch members supportedb the frame,apair of clutch memthrough whic the connections operate, and

hers carrie by each shaft and arranged to vehlcle-steermg means arranged to engage connect and disconnect the shaft and the corand disengage the clutch members with each responding brake device, and a semi-circular other.

cam member supported by each knuckle wlth 23. A whole comprising, in combination, its center substantially at the swivelling axis a road wheel, a brake therefor, connections of the knuckle and arranged to be operated to operate the brake, vehiclesteering means,

by swivelling movement of the knuckle to and means operated by the steering of the' wedge the clutch members apart. vehicle to disconnect the brake and connec- 19. A vehicle comprising, in combination, tions when the wheel is on the outer side of a an axle, a spring supported frame above the turn. axle, a pair of knuckles swivelled to the axle, 24.;Retard1ng mechanlsm c ompr1s1ng in a wheel having a brake drum rotatably combinat on, a brake, operatmg connections mounted on each knuckle, a brake device suptherefor, clutch members through which the ported by each knuckle in cooperative relaconnections operate, means to disengage the tion to the corresponding drum, a universally clutch members, and means to re-engage the jointed operating shaft for each brake device clutch members in predetermined positions.

supported by the frame, a pair of clutch mem- 25. Retarding mechanism comprising, in bers carried by each shaft and arranged to combmatlon, a brake, operating connections connect and disconnect the shaft and the cortherefor, clutch members through whlch the 22. A vehicle comprising. in combination,

connections operate, means to disengage the clutch members, means to determine the initial positions of the clutch members, and spring means to return them to their initial positions and cause them to re-engage.

26. Retarding mechanism comprlsing, in combination, a brake, operating connections therefor, a pair of clutch members connecting the brake and the operating connections, said 10 members having intermeshin teeth and depressions which engage in on y one'angular position Within an arc of ninety degrees, means to determine-the said angular position of said members, means to disengage theclutch members, and spring means to return them to said angular position and cause them to re-engage.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

LLOYD BLAOKMORE. FRED E. JONES. 

